[stld-rfp-xxx]

This one has real merit.

To: <stld-rfp-xxx@xxxxxxxxx>

Subject: This one has real merit.

From: <mark@xxxxxxxxxxxx>

Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2004 18:10:57 -0400

I don't think the .xxx domain will completely solve any adult content
problems, but is certainly cannot hurt the situation either. I think there
is a lot of merit in at least trying to segregate that type of content from
general web content. I don't believe it will stop the real predators who
want kids to land on adult content sites, but make it appear to be
accidental, or those who just don't care. By at least having an adult
oriented TLD those that do act in good faith can in fact do something to
protect themselves from liability and also make it slightly easier to filter
the sites from those who don't want them accessible to themselves or their
minor children. With the existence of the alternative, it may also be easier
to develop and pass some legislation that can improve the current situation.
I'm not naive enough to believe all adult content will immediately move to
the new TLD and the proposal doesn't seem to belive this will happen. But,
just the availability of the TLD may help enforce actions against sites
deemed to be acting in bad faith against children by the fact that the
alternative TLD exists that could have been used. It will take time to
change the ease of which adult content can fall into the wrong hands, but
every small step including this one is a step in the right direction.
It may be too optomistic to think it can happen, but I think encouragement
(not enforcement) to move adult content on other gTLD's should be
considered. I know registrants have major investments in search listings,
brand recognition, and existing domains, but I think that could potentially
be solved or mitigated. If adult content were moved to the .xxx domains, but
the previous domains could be kept by the owners with "301 redirects" to the
real content on .xxx, they current domain holders may have incentive to keep
both the old and .xxx names, while redicects to the actual .xxx content
site could be filtered before the actual browser landing there. As long as
no real content is on the old domains, the owners would not be forced to
forfeit those names if they moved the actual content. Some process would
have to be developed for identical overlapping string assignments in the
current different gTLD's, as to who gets the .xxx, but trademark issues and
other incentives could be developed over time toward that end.
I also believe that all .xxx domain should be assigned a set block of IP
numbers for additional blocking and filtering capability. Maybe even
assigning them all IPv6 to give a boost to this technology and it's
acceptance, development, and cost justification. The adult industry has lead
the way for the demand for many past and current technologies, and IPv6
could be just another one of them.
I am 100% for this TLD being approved, and encourage ICANN to give it their
okay. I think of all the traditional use TLD proposals, this one has the
best chance to do real good, to succeed, and to be financially justified of
issuing a TLD with good results.
Mark Beatty